Container lifting and emptying apparatus



Feb. 4, 1958 E. E. JOINER, JR

CONTAINER LIFTING AND EMPTYING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001;.16, 1956 Invenfor Feb. 4, 1958 E. E. JOlNER, JR 2,822,113

CONTAINER LIFTING AND EMPTYING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 16, 1956 5Sheets-Sheet 2 [tn/6n far Edgar E JoinerJr.

By ha AZMZ Unite taes CONTAINER LIFTIN G AND EMPTYING APPARATUSApplication October 16, 1956, Serial No. 616,222

8 Claims. (Cl. 222-165) This invention relates to container lifting andemptying apparatus and is illustrated herein as embodied in an apparatusfor receiving a barrel which is filled with articles such, for example,as wood heel blocks, and for tipping said barrel to a predeterminedposition in order to render said articles, dumped from the barrel as aresult of the tipping operation, readily available. The presentapplication is a continuation-in-part of an application Serial No.396,663, filed December 7, 1953 in my name.

The present invention consists in the novel features hereinafterdescribed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings whichdisclose one embodiment of the invention selected for purposes ofillustration, said invention being fully disclosed in the followingdescription and claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. l is a side elevation, partly in section, showing an illustrativepower operated container lifting and emptying apparatus in an idleposition, a barrel containing wood heel blocks being arranged forreception by a cradle which forms part of said apparatus and is in aloading and unloading position;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a valve for controlling fluid pressuremeans which moves the cradle from its barrel loading and unloadingposition to a barrel emptying position;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, partly broken away and partly insection, showing the apparatus with its cradle in its barrel emptyingposition while the barrel mounted thereon is susbtantially filled withheel blocks;

Fig. 4- is a view similar to Fig. 3 illustrating the position of thebarrel on the cradle after the wood heel blocks have slit out of thebarrel into a trough or bin which is secured to the cradle;

Fig. 5 shows in section a check valve for use in controlling the speedat which the cradle returns to its loading and unloading position;

Fig. 6 shows a modified stop which is engaged by thev cradle anddetermines the barrel emptying position thereof;

Fig. 7 shows in plan the apparatus illustrated in Fig. l, the showing ofthe wood heel blocks in the barrel having been omitted; and

Fig. 8 is a section on the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 4.

Tie illustrative apparatus is described with reference to lifting andemptying wood heel blocks 20 (Fig. 3), which are delivered to theapparatus in a container such, for example, as a cylindrical barrel 22having runners 24, tocause said blocks to slide into a trough or bin 42of the apparatus where they are readily available for removal one at atime by the operator. The barrel 22 containing the blocks 20 is slid inan upright position by a atent C A 2,8ZZ,1 l3 1C Patented Feb. 4, 1 9

barrel boy over a floor 26, upon which theapparatu s is mounted, to itsposition shown in Fig. 1 where the runners 24 are arranged between andthe bottom of the barrel overlies platforms 28 of a cradle 30, which ispivoted for movement about an axis 32, between a loading and unloadingposition shown in Fig. 1 and an emptying position shown in Fig. 3. Thebarrel 22, which has a. closed end or bottom and an open end or top, ismade of light rpgged material such, for example, as fibre board and isusuallyreinforced at its closed and upper ends and has a pair of handholes 34.

When the barrel 22 has been slid over the platforms 28 of the cradle30approximately to its position shown in Fig. 1, a lever 36 of a valve38 is swung from its full.- line position to its dash-line positionshown in Fig. 2, thereby causing fluid pressure means 40 totilt thecradle counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 1 about the axis.32 thusmoving the barrel to its position shown in Fig. 3', the heel blocks 20in the barrel 22 sliding under the in,- fluence of gravity into thetroughor bin .42 which, aswill be explained later, is secured to and maybe described as tion thus rendering the fluid pressure meansAO inactiveand causing the cradle 30 .to be moved, by meanshet'e; inafterdescribed, back to its loading position preparatory to removing theempty barrel 22 from the cradleg tl and presenting another barrelcontaining heel blocks to be operated upon to the apparatus.

The cradle 30 is mounted for pivotal or tiltingnrove ment upon afabricated pedestal or frame 44' comp r a pair of side brackets 46 whichare securedfby screws 48 to the floor 26 and are rigidly securedtogether byafpot channel 50 and a rod 52 welded to saidbracl'gets.Secured by bolts 54 to the side brackets 46 are bearingsjfiiin which isjournaled a shaft 58 having fixed to it col ars 60 which engage opposinginner. faces of'the bearings, Pinned to end portions of the shaft 58 isa pair qfcradle brackets 62, the brackets being secured by screws. 64 toside bars 66 of the cradle 30, opposite ends ofsaid sid'e bars beingwelded to a straight angle iron upper-crossbar 68 and an outwardly bentstriplower crossbar70', respec' tively, of the cradle. Welded to thesidebars 66 and to the crossbar 70are the platforms 28, outwardly extend'ing flanges of which are welded to struts .714' having upper ends whichare welded to median portionsofthe side bars 66.

When the apparatus is idle the forward ends of'the platforms 28 are inengagement with the floor 26, paid platforms extending along said floorat a very slight angle to the plane of the floor as shown in Fig. 1, theconstrue: tion and arrangement being such that the bottorrr nt -thebarrel 22', the runners 24 of which are arranged-beg tween theplatforms, is arranged just above and-substantially parallel to flatupper surfaces 76 which areformejd on the platforms and lie in a commonplane. The trough or bin 42 is secured by bolt and'nut cannections 78,80 to-the cradle 30 andcompris'es a saddle or saddle portion 82 an innerc'oncave face-8410f which is spaced slightly from an outsideor-peripheraltfa'cefl 'l of the barrel 22 when saidbarrel-is in itsdispensing ,posia tion in engagement with corners 86 ofthe.sidesbarsgtid respectively as shown in Fig. 7. Secured. to. the cradlgbrackets 62 and to the sidebars 66 adjaeent to theseddle portion 82 ofthe cradle 30 are bearing rods 71 respectively which have slidable onthem a two-part block 73 having a concave face 75 complemental to theoutside or peripheral face 77 of the barrel 22, said block beingconstantly urged to a rest or retracted position, in which lateralprojections of the block engage faces 79 of the brackets, by springs 81which surround the guide rods and opposite ends of which are inengagement respectively with the block and the heads of the rods. Whenthe machine is in its position shown in Figs. 1 and 7 with the loadedbarrel 22 presented to it, the block 73 is in a projected position inwhich the lateral projections of the block are spaced substantialdistances from the faces 79 of the bracket 62, the concave face 75 ofthe block being posiitoned somewhat behind corners 86 of the side bars66. The barrel 22 is slid along the floor on its runners 24 and over theplatforms 28 to its upright position shown in Fig. 1, said barrel 22being pressed against the concave face 75 of the block and thus movingsaid block to its projected position, the barrel being so positionedthat its peripheral face is in substantial engagement with the corners86 of the side bars 66. Whenthe barrel 22 is thus positioned in theapparatus it rests on its runners 24 and its bottom is slightly spacedabove the surface 76 of the platforms 28. The platforms 28 are suitablyspaced so that the runners 24 of the barrel 22 shall be received betweenthem and may be defined as being positioned adjacent to the floor 26when the cradle 30 is in its loading and unloading position and as beinggrzranged to be overridden by the bottom of the barrel Formed integralwith the trough or bin are flanges 88 secured by screws 90 to flanges 92of a planar barrier or abutment 94 which is positioned opposite asubstantial portion of the open end of the barrel 22 and which, when thecradle 30 is in its emptying position shown in Fig. 3, closes E theupper half of the open end of the barrel, the heel blocks slidingthrough an opening 93 formed between the trough and the lower end of thebarrier. The trough 42 is preferably of frusto conical shape, forms acontinuation of the open end of the barrel 22 on the cradle 30 and has aclosed end 96 provided with small openings 98 which are flush with afrusto conical heel block supporting surface 100 of the trough. andthrough which chips and other debris may be readily swept, if desirable.The trough or bin 42 may be described as arranged adjacent to orcontiguous with the lower portion of the upper end of the barrel or withthe lower portion of the rim of the open end of the barrel when thecradle 30 is moved to its emptying position.

A cylindrical surface 102 of the outer rim of the barrier 94 and acylindrical surface 104 of the saddle 82 of the trough 42 collectivelyhave an outline slightly greater than that of the open end of the barrel22, the construction and arrangement being such that when the cradle 30is tilted to its emptying position the heel blocks 20 in the barrel willbe slid out of said barrel through the opening 93 and into the upperportion of the trough. When the cradle 30 is tilted to its emptyingposition the median longitudinal portion of the heel block supportingface 100 of the trough 42 is approximately horizontal. When the cradle30 is in its emptying position the barrier 94 is arranged opposite theopen end of the barrel 22 in the cradle and thus closes off said upperportion, the surface 100 of the trough 42 being substantially continuouswith the then lower portion of the rim of the open end of the barrel.The trough 42 and the barrier 94 may be considered as forming parts ofthe cradle. When the cradle 30 is in its emptying position shown in Fig.3 the upper margin of the closed end of the trough 42 is arranged atsubstantially the same elevation as a point midway between the lower endof the barrier 94 and a lower rear end of the trough.

When the barrel 22 has been slid over the platforms 28 of the cradleinto substantial engagement with the corners 86 of the side bars 66 toits position shown in Figs. 1 and 7, it is not supported by the cradlebut as soon as the cradle moves counterclockwise, as viewed in Fig. 1,from this position the platforms 28 and the side bars 66 of the cradlecooperate to support the barrel. As the cradle 30 approaches itsemptying position shown in Fig. 3 the barrel 22 has a tendency to slideslightly down the side bars 66 into engagement with the barrier 94. Thestruts 74 are so constructed and arranged that when the barrel 22 issupported by the cradle 30 the peripheral face 77 of the barrel issubstantially in engagement with the struts thereby insuring against thebarrel being displaced upon the cradle lengthwise of the axis 32 of theshaft 58.

The fluid pressure means 40 for moving the cradle 30 from its loading toits emptying position will now be described. Welded to the foot channel50 is a boss 112 (Fig. 1) having pivoted to it a cylinder 114 providedwith a guideway 116 in which reciprocates a piston 118 having secured toit a piston rod 120 the upper end of which is pivotally conected to arod 122 pinned to the cradle pivot brackets 62.

Fluid, such for example as air under pressure, is admitted through apassage 124 (Fig. 1) formed in the lower head of the cylinder 114 to apressure surface 126 of the piston 118 to cause the cradle 30, to whichthe barrel 22 has been presented, to be lifted from its loading andunloading position to its emptying position when the lever 36 of thevalve is moved from its closed or fullline position (Fig. 2) to its openor dash line position so as to connect an intake line 132 with atransfer line 134 leading to the passage 124.

Air from a compressor (not shown) is admitted through a pipe 128, areducing valve 130, the intake line 132, the valve 38 and the transferline 134 which includes a check valve 136 to the passage 124 andaccordingly to the pressure surface 126 of the piston 118. When airunder pressure is admitted to the surface 126 of the piston 118, thecradle 30 is moved counterclockwise from its loading position shown inFig. 1 to its emptying position shown in Fig. 3, counterclockwisemovement of the cradle about the axis of the shaft 58 being limited bythe engagement of the cradle pivot brackets 62 with the rod 52 whichserves as a stop and may be so defined.

Surrounding the connecting rod 120 and having one of its ends inengagement with the piston 118 is a compression spring 142 the upper endof which, when the machine is idle, is spaced a considerable distancefrom an upper end of the cylinder. Just before the side bars 66 of thecradle 30 reach a horizontal position during movement of the cradle toits emptying position, the spring 142 engages the upper end of thecylinder, causing said spring to be compressed and accordingly to opposeupward move ment of the piston thereby resisting and thus slowing downthe movement of the cradle and cushioning the force with which saidcradle engages the rod 52.

. The cradle 30 is normally held in its emptying position by the airpressure actingon the surface 126 of the piston 118 until such time asthe wood heel blocks 20 to be operated upon have been removed from thetrough 42. When the operator is ready for a new supply of heel blocks 20the valve 33 is moved to its closed or full-line position shown in Figs.1 and 2, causing the chamber 140 to be open to an exhaust line 144leading to the atmosphere with the result that the energized orcompressed coil spring 142 forced against the upper end of the cylinder114, as shown in Fig. 3, forces the piston 118 downward and accordinglymoves the cradle clockwise toward its loading position. The spring 142ceases to act on the piston 118, as above described, after the side bars66 of the cradle 30 have been moved approximately to their horizontalpositions, said cradle thereafter being moved back to its loadingposition by the action of gravity. During movement of the cradle towardits loading position, the check valve 136 restricts the passage of airflowing from the chamber 140 thereby insuring that the speed of thecradle back to its loading position shall be slow and cushioned. It willbe noted that during movement of the cradle 30 from its loading to itsemptying position, a spring-pressed plunger 146 of the check valve 136offers little, if any, resistance to air which. is under pressure and isbeing supplied to the chamber 140. The amount of cushioning of thecradle 30 by the check valve 136 may be varied by setting a stop screw148, limiting the complete closing of the valve, in different adjustedpositions.

As the barrel 22 shown in Fig. 3 is emptied it becomes lighter and theblock 73, which is acted upon by the springs 81 and in engagement withan opposing portion of the peripheral face 77 of the barrel, moves thebarrel to its position best shown in Fig. 4 in which said opposingportion is spaced a substantial distance away from the face 84 of thesaddle portion 82 of the trough or bin 42 to form a gap 149, the barrelbeing held in this position in the cradle 30 during the time that thecradle is returned to its barrel loading and unloading position. Thecradle 30 may be described as being fulcrumed on the side brackets 46which constitute a frame, between the loading and unloading positionshown in Figs. 1 and 7 and the emptying position in Fig. 3 in which thebarrel is supported by the cradle on its side with its open endlowermost. The platform 28, which may be collectively considered as asingle platform and may be described as such, is adapted to engage theclosed end of the barrel. The heel block supporting surface 100 of thetrough or bin 42 and the face 84 of the saddle portion 82 of the troughor bin may be described as the inner face of said bin or trough.

When the cradle 22 has moved to its barrel emptying position shown inFig. 3 the barrel is positioned on the cradle with a lower rim portionof the open end of the barrel in contiguous relation with the inner faceportion 84 of the bin 42. The spring-pressed block 73 may be describedas being moved by spring action in response to the emptying of thebarrel 22 on the cradle 30 to its retracted position, to cause the lowerportion of the rim of the open end of the barrel to be moved asubstantial distance from the inner face of the bin 42 to form the gap149 through which refuse left in the bin may be dumped when the cradlehaving the barrel on it is moved back to its loading and unloadingposition. The corners 86 of the side bars 66 may be collectivelyreferred to as a stop, and the block 73 may be referred to as aspringpressed member adapted to be engaged by the upper portion of theoutside peripheral cylindrical face of the barrel and as being adaptedto be displaced by the barrel filled with heel blocks.

With the above construction it will be clear that refuse such, forexample, as sawdust and imperfect blocks which have been left in thetrough or bin 42 will fall through the gap 149 and onto the floorinstead of returning into the barrel 22 when the cradle 30 with thebarrel on it is moved back to its loading and unloading position.

The spring 142 in the cylinder 114 may be defined as being compressed bypower means during movement of the cradle 30 to its emptying positionfor cushioning impact of the cradle against the stop or rod 52 and forinitially tilting the cradle, together with the barrel on it, toward itsloading position when the power means is rendered inactive.

In order to vary the emptying position of the cradle 30 and accordinglythe rate at which the heel blocks 20 slide from the barrel 22 into thetrough 42, there is provided a modified stop 150 which may besubstituted for the stop 52 and is illustrated in Fig. 6 and may bemoved into different adjusted positions heightwise upon the sidebrackets 46 of the apparatus. In order to insure that in the event of afailure of air pressure in the system the 6 cradle 30- shall bemaintained in its, emptying position, a hook 152 attached tonne, of theside brackets 46 of the frame may be latched into an eye 154 secured toone of the side bars 66 of the cradle;

Having. thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by. Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a container lifting and emptying apparatus, a frame adapted to.befixed to a floor, a cradle fulcrumed upon the frame for movementbetween a loading and unloading position in which a container, which hasopen and closed ends respectively and which is arranged upright and isfilled with articles, is ready to'be loaded onto the cradle, and anemptying position in which the container is supported by the cradle onits Sidfi'With its open end lowermost, said cradle comprising a.platform which when the cradle is in its loading and unloading positionis substantially engaged by the closed end of the container, a binsecured to the cradle and having an inner face, said cradle beingadapted so to position the container during movement of said cradle toits emptying position that a rim of the open end of the container iscontiguous with the inner face of the bin whereby to allow articles inthe container to be moved smoothly by gravity into the bin, and meansresponsive to. theemptying of' the container on the cradle at its.emptying position for causing the rim of the open end of the. containerto be moved a substantial distance away from the inner face of the binto form, between said inner face of the bin and the rim of the open endof. the container, a gap through which refuse left in the bin may bedumped when the cradle bearing the container is moved back to itsloading and unloading position.

2. In a barrel lifting and emptying apparatus, a frame adapted to befixed to a floor, a cradle mounted upon the frame for movement about anaxis between a loading and unloading position in which a barrel whichhasopen and closed ends respectively and which is arranged upright andcontains articles, is ready to be loaded onto the cradle, and anemptying position in which the barrel is supported by the cradle on itsside with its open end lowermost, said cradle comprising a stop and aplatform adapted to engage the closed end. of thev barrel, a bin securedto the cradle and having an inner face, and a spring-pressed memberwhich is adapted to be engaged by one upper portion of a peripheral faceof the barrel containing articles and is adapted to be displaced by saidbarrel until another upper portion of said peripheral face engages saidstop whereby to cause a rim portion of the open end of the barrel to bemoved into contiguous relation with the inner face of said bin to allowarticles. moved by gravity from. the barrel to betransfered smoothlyinto the bin, said spring-pressed member being adapted after the weightof the barrel has been reduced by reason of articles having been removedtherefrom to cause said barrel to move to a position in which said rimportion of the open end of the barrel has been moved a. substantialdistance above said inner face of the bin thus forming a gap between theinner face of said bin and the rim portion of the open end of thebarrel, said gap being of suflicient width to insure that refuse left inthe bin may be dumped onto the floor and not into the barrel as thecradle having the barrel mounted on it is moved from its emptying to itsloading and unloading position.

3. In a barrel lifting and emptying apparatus, a frame fixed to a floor,a cradle, and a bin secured to the. cradle: and having an inner face,said cradle being mounted upon the frame for movement between a loadingand unloading position ready to receive a barrel which has openandclosed ends respectively and contains articles and which is arrangedupright, and an emptying position in whichthe cradle supportsthe barrelon its side with the open end of the barrel lowermost and adjacent tothe bin. thereby allowing articles to slide. freely and smoothly" fromthe barrel into the bin, said cradle having a plat-r form which isarranged adjacent to the floor when the cradle is in its loading andunloading position and which is adapted to receive the closed end of thebarrel, and having a stop and a biased member adapted constantly to urgethe open end of the barrel away from the stop, said barrel containingarticles being adapted to apply pressure to said member when the cradleis in its emptying position whereby to move the member to a projectedposition until the barrel engages said stop at which time a rim portionof the open end of the barrel is contiguous with said inner face of thebin, said biased member being adapted to move the open end of the barrela predetermined distance away from said stop when the articles have beenremoved therefrom whereby to form between said inner face of the bin andsaid rim portion of the open end of the barrel a wide gap therebyinsuring that refuse remaining in the bin shall not be dumped back intothe barrel when the cradle having the barrel on it is moved back to itsloading and unloading position from its emptying position. a

4. In a container lifting and emptying apparatus, a

frame adapted to be secured to a floor, a cradle pivotally mounted onthe frame for movement between a loading and unloading position and anemptying position, said cradle comprising a platform which is arrangedadjacent to the floor when the cradle is in its loading and unloadingposition and is adapted to be overridden. by a closed end of thecontainer which has an open end and is loaded with articles, a binsecured to the cradle and having an article receiving face, said cradlecomprising a stop which is engaged by the container on the cradle in itsemptying position whereby to position a rim portion of the open end ofthe container in substantially contiguous relation with the articlereceiving face of the bin to insure that articles shall be smoothly fedby gravity from the container into said face of the bin, at block whichis mounted for movement on the cradle, and a spring for urging the blockto a retracted position on the cradle, said block being moved to itsprojected position against the action of the spring by the articlefilled container and when said articles have been transferred from thecontainer into said bin being adapted to move the container away fromthe stop to a position in which said rim portion of the open end of thecontainer is spaced from the inner face of the bin by a wide gap throughwhich refuse is dumped from the bin when the cradle having the containermounted on it is moved back to its loading and unloading positionthereby insuring that said refuse in the bin shall not be dumped backinto the barrel.

5. In a barrel lifting and emptying apparatus, a frame adapted to befixed to a floor, a cradle journaled upon the frame for movement betweena loading and an unloading position in which a barrel which has open andclosed ends respectively and which is arranged upright and containsarticles is ready to be received by the cradle, andan emptying positionin which thetbarrel is supported'by the cradle on its side with its openend lowermost, said cradle comprising a platform adapted to be engaged.by the closed end of the barrel, a bin secured to the cradle and havingan inner face, a block which is mounted for movement on the cradle, anda spring for moving the block to a retracted position on the cradle,said cradle being so constructed that when it is in its emptyingposition the barrel mounted thereon has a rim portion of its open end incontiguous relation with the inner face of the bin whereby to allowarticles in said barrel to slide smoothly under the force of gravityinto the bin, said block after the barrel has been substantially emptiedbeing rendered active by the action of said spring to move said rimportion of the open end of the barrel away from the inner, face of thebin thereby forming between said inner face of the bin and said rimportion of the barrel a gap of suflicient width to insure that refuseremaining in the bin after the barrel has been emptied shall not bedumped back into the barrel as the cradle having the empty barrel on itis moved back to its loading and unloading position.

'6. Ina container lifting and emptying apparatus, a frame adapted to befixed to a floor, a cradle journaled upon said frame for movementbetween a loading and unloading position in which a container, which hasopen and closed ends and which is upright and filled with articles, isreceived by the cradle, and an emptying position in which the containeris supported by the cradle on its side with its open end lowermost, saidcradle comprising a stop and a platform which is arranged adjacent tothe floor and over which the closed end of the container is positionedwhen the cradle is in its loading and unloading position, a bin which issecured to the cradle and has an inner article receiving face, and aspringpressed block mounted for movement on the cradle and adapted to bedisplaced to a projected position by the container which is mounted onthe cradle and has articles mounted in it, until said container engagessaid stop thereby positioning a lower. portion of a rim of the open endof the container in contiguous relation with said inner face of the bin,said spring-pressed block as the container is emptied being adapted tomove said lower portion of the rim of the open end of the container asubstantial distance away from said inner face of the bin thus formingbetween the open end of the barrel and said inner face of the bin a gapthrough which refuse left in said bin is dumped as the cradle bearingthe container is moved back to its loading and unloading posi tion.

7. In a container lifting and emptying, apparatus, a frame adapted to befixed to a floor, a cradle mounted upon the frame for movement between aloading position, in which a container loaded with articles and havingan open end is in an upright position upon the floor ready to bereceived by the cradle, and an emptying position in which the cradlesupports the container on its side with its open end lowermost therebyallowing said articles to slide from the container, said cradlecomprising platforms which are arranged adjacent to the fioor and overwhich the container is slid when the cradle is in its loading positionand also comprising bars for centralizing the container on the cradle, aplanar barrier which is secured to the cradle and is shaped and arrangedto be engaged approximately by the upper portion of the open end of thecontainer in the cradle in its emptying position, a dispensing troughwhich is approximately continuous with and is open to the lower portionof the open end of the container when the cradle is in its emptyingposition and which has a planar closed end inclined at a substantialangle to the planar barrier, the upper margin of the closed end of thetrough, when the cradle is in its emptying position, being arranged atsubstantially the same elevation as a point midway between the lower endof the barrier and a lower rear end of the trough, and power means formoving the cradle between loading and emptying positions.

8. In a container lifting and emptying apparatus, a frame adapted to befixed to a floor, a cradle pivotally mounted upon the frame for movementbetween a loading position, in which a container loaded with articlesand having an open end is arranged in an upright position ready to bereceived by the cradle, and an emptying position in which the cradlesupports the container on its side with its open end lowermost therebyallowing said articles to slide from the container, said cradlecomprising platforms which are arranged adjacent to the floor when thecradle is in its loading position and over which the container is slidwith a bottom of said container overlying the platforms and alsocomprising bars for centralizing the container widthwise on the cradle,a planar barrier secured to the cradle and shaped and arranged to beengaged substantially by the open end of the container positioned in thecradle, a saddle having a concave face which is approximately inengagement with a side of the container positioned in thecradle adjacentto the open end of said container and which has an exit end, a troughwhich has an open entrance end continuous with the exit end of thesaddle and which has a closed end and a bottom and sides which have thegeneral shape of a frustum of a cone and elements of which are inclinedat a substantial angle to a general plane of the barrier, fluid pressuremeans operatively connected to the cradle, means for rendering the fluidpressure means active to cause the cradle to be moved from its loadingto its emptying position and for rendering said fluid pressure meansinactive to allow the cradle to move back to its loading position, aresilient element energized in response to movement of said fluidpressure means as the cradle nears its emptying position and adapted tomove said cradle away from its emptying position when said fluidpressure means is rendered inactive, and a check valve associated withsaid fluid pressure means for retarding movement of the cradle back toits loading position.

No references cited.

